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    AB-896
    Social Services

    Foster care: placement transition planning.

    Engrossed
    CA
    ∙
    2025-2026 Regular Session
    0
    0
    Track
    Track

    Key Takeaways

    • Requires counties to develop placement transition policies to support foster children moving between homes or reunifying with family.
    • Mandates 14-day advance notice to all parties before changing a foster child's placement unless safety risks exist.
    • Ensures foster children and caregivers have input into placement transitions to reduce trauma and maintain stability.
    • Requires social workers to create preservation strategies before changing any foster care placement.

    Summary

    Assembly Member Elhawary's foster care reform legislation requires California counties to develop comprehensive placement transition policies to support children moving between foster care settings or reunifying with their families. The bill mandates that these policies ensure children can provide input on their transitions and establishes guidelines for social workers to gather and share information in ways that reduce trauma and address children's developmental, cultural, and emotional needs.

    Under the legislation, county child welfare agencies must consult with foster youth and caregivers to create policies that consider children's educational, medical, mental health, and social needs while maintaining important relationships and community connections. The policies must detail how transitions will be managed - from timing and preparation to transportation and participation in upcoming activities. Counties are required to designate staff to communicate with children throughout transitions to ensure they understand the process.

    The State Department of Social Services will issue guidance on transition planning best practices, after which counties have one year to submit their policies for review. The bill also amends existing law to expand foster children's rights and modify resource family approval processes, requiring additional training on supporting placement transitions. These changes aim to create more stable and supportive environments during necessary placement changes.

    The measure builds upon current requirements for placement preservation strategies by establishing standardized procedures for cases where preservation is not possible. Counties must document and report on transitions that extend beyond standard timeframes, enabling oversight of implementation and outcomes.

    Key Dates

    Next Step
    Referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Rules
    Next Step
    Senate Committee
    Referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Rules
    Hearing has not been scheduled yet
    Vote on Assembly Floor
    Assembly Floor
    Vote on Assembly Floor
    Vote on Assembly Floor
    Assembly Appropriations Hearing
    Assembly Committee
    Assembly Appropriations Hearing
    Assembly Appropriations Hearing
    Assembly Human Services Hearing
    Assembly Committee
    Assembly Human Services Hearing
    Assembly Human Services Hearing
    Read first time. To print.
    Assembly Floor
    Read first time. To print.
    Read first time. To print.

    Contacts

    Profile
    Shannon GroveR
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Brian JonesR
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Mike McGuireD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Eloise ReyesD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Robert RivasD
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    0 of 7 row(s) selected.
    Page 1 of 2
    Select All Legislators
    Profile
    Shannon GroveR
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Brian JonesR
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Mike McGuireD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Eloise ReyesD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Robert RivasD
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Profile
    John LairdD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Sade ElhawaryD
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author

    Get Involved

    Act Now!

    Email the authors or create an email template to send to all relevant legislators.

    Introduced By

    Sade Elhawary
    Sade ElhawaryD
    California State Assembly Member
    Robert Rivas
    Robert RivasD
    California State Assembly Member
    40% progression
    Bill has passed all readings in its first house and is ready to move to the other house (5/15/2025)

    Latest Voting History

    View History
    May 15, 2025
    PASS
    Assembly Floor
    Vote on Assembly Floor
    AyesNoesNVRTotalResult
    6901079PASS

    Key Takeaways

    • Requires counties to develop placement transition policies to support foster children moving between homes or reunifying with family.
    • Mandates 14-day advance notice to all parties before changing a foster child's placement unless safety risks exist.
    • Ensures foster children and caregivers have input into placement transitions to reduce trauma and maintain stability.
    • Requires social workers to create preservation strategies before changing any foster care placement.

    Get Involved

    Act Now!

    Email the authors or create an email template to send to all relevant legislators.

    Introduced By

    Sade Elhawary
    Sade ElhawaryD
    California State Assembly Member
    Robert Rivas
    Robert RivasD
    California State Assembly Member

    Summary

    Assembly Member Elhawary's foster care reform legislation requires California counties to develop comprehensive placement transition policies to support children moving between foster care settings or reunifying with their families. The bill mandates that these policies ensure children can provide input on their transitions and establishes guidelines for social workers to gather and share information in ways that reduce trauma and address children's developmental, cultural, and emotional needs.

    Under the legislation, county child welfare agencies must consult with foster youth and caregivers to create policies that consider children's educational, medical, mental health, and social needs while maintaining important relationships and community connections. The policies must detail how transitions will be managed - from timing and preparation to transportation and participation in upcoming activities. Counties are required to designate staff to communicate with children throughout transitions to ensure they understand the process.

    The State Department of Social Services will issue guidance on transition planning best practices, after which counties have one year to submit their policies for review. The bill also amends existing law to expand foster children's rights and modify resource family approval processes, requiring additional training on supporting placement transitions. These changes aim to create more stable and supportive environments during necessary placement changes.

    The measure builds upon current requirements for placement preservation strategies by establishing standardized procedures for cases where preservation is not possible. Counties must document and report on transitions that extend beyond standard timeframes, enabling oversight of implementation and outcomes.

    40% progression
    Bill has passed all readings in its first house and is ready to move to the other house (5/15/2025)

    Key Dates

    Next Step
    Referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Rules
    Next Step
    Senate Committee
    Referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Rules
    Hearing has not been scheduled yet
    Vote on Assembly Floor
    Assembly Floor
    Vote on Assembly Floor
    Vote on Assembly Floor
    Assembly Appropriations Hearing
    Assembly Committee
    Assembly Appropriations Hearing
    Assembly Appropriations Hearing
    Assembly Human Services Hearing
    Assembly Committee
    Assembly Human Services Hearing
    Assembly Human Services Hearing
    Read first time. To print.
    Assembly Floor
    Read first time. To print.
    Read first time. To print.

    Latest Voting History

    View History
    May 15, 2025
    PASS
    Assembly Floor
    Vote on Assembly Floor
    AyesNoesNVRTotalResult
    6901079PASS

    Contacts

    Profile
    Shannon GroveR
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Brian JonesR
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Mike McGuireD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Eloise ReyesD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Robert RivasD
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    0 of 7 row(s) selected.
    Page 1 of 2
    Select All Legislators
    Profile
    Shannon GroveR
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Brian JonesR
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Mike McGuireD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Eloise ReyesD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Robert RivasD
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Profile
    John LairdD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Sade ElhawaryD
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author